Linguicism/ Linguistic Imperialism 232 Najd. Linguicism Linguicism is a term coined by Robert Phillipson to refer to discrimination and prejudice on

Linguicism/ Linguistic Imperialism

232 Najd

Linguicism

Linguicism is a term coined by Robert Phillipson to refer to discrim ination and prejudice on

the grounds of language .

Linguicism

Linguicism has been defined as 'ideologies, structures, and practices which are used to legitimate, effectuate, and reproduce an unequal division of power and resources (both material and non-material) between groups which are defined on the basis of language', as Phillipson says in his book Linguistic Imperialism , in which English linguistic Imperialism is seen

as a type of linguicism.

Linguistic Imperialism

Linguistic imperialism is the ‘worldwide expansion of one language at the

expense of others’.

English: From Colonial Empire to the Global Language

Adapted from:(:// . . . / / %20 %2http www hamel com mx ArchivosPDF Work in

0 /2005%20 %20 .Progress Language Empires pdf

http://www.hamel.com.mx/ArchivosPDF/Work%20in%20Progress/2005%20Language%20Empires.pdf

http://www.hamel.com.mx/ArchivosPDF/Work%20in%20Progress/2005%20Language%20Empires.pdf


The rise of English has triggered one of the most exciting debates on language policy of our days.


Why English?

How did English develop externally and internally to become the leading world

language ?

Who, if anyone, controls or “owns” English ?


How did English jump from its role as one of a few powerful international, colonial languages to the status of the

hegemonic world language ?


Around 1900, French still held a mildly leading position as the language of international diplomacy, culture and literature and, consequently, as the first foreign language in many parts of

the world .


In science, three powerful European languages, English, French, and German, maintained a tripartite equilibrium, each of them salient in some scientific domains (Ammon 1991). No research available at that time foresaw that English would rapidly bypass its rivals in the course of

the 20th century .


In his very influential book on “English as a global language”, David Crystal (1997) argues that in 1950, world English was still not an issue.


In retrospect, however, it becomes clear that the future of English was deeply rooted in:

1 .the British pattern of migration - intensive colonization of North

America2. its process of early

industrialization3. the building of its colonial

empire in Africa and Asia


When economic and political leadership passed from Britain to the USA in the early 20th century, English, together with other components of shared culture, was the common bridge between the old and the new empire that set the rules of the game and gave English the decisive lead

over its competitors .


Crystal concludes that English is “a language which has repeatedly found itself in the right place at the right time”

(1997, 110) .


There are also those who say that today there exists not just English, but world Englishes.

Therefore, native speakers can no longer claim ownership of English language.

World Englishes

Kachru’s model of three concentric circles

World Englishes

Kachru’s model of World Englishes is widely quoted :

The Inner Circle comprises the six countries where an old variety of English is used and English has become the majority language through massive migration to the overseas colonies: Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada,

Australia and New Zealand .

World Englishes

The Outer Circle contains more than 70 states that correspond to the second diaspora (Kachru 1992, Kachru/Nelson 1996), when English was transported without significant migration to the vast territories of Britain’s colonial empire, mainly in Africa and Asia.

World Englishes

In those countries English has played a major role up to the present as a second and official language in many key institutions of governance and education (Kachru/Nelson 1996). India, Pakistan, Singapore and Nigeria are considered typical countries of the Outer Circle where new varieties of English arose over time through contact with native languages.

World Englishes

The Expanding Circle includes countries where English plays a variety of roles and is widely studied as a foreign language; these countries were not colonized by any country of the Inner Circle, and English has no

official status.

World Englishes

This circle, less well defined than the others, comprises countries like China, where more than 200 million children were learning English in 2003 according to Yajun (2003), Japan, Korea, and certainly most if not all European and Latin American countries.

22

Expanding circle

Outer/expanded circle

Inner circle:

e.g. USA, UK

320 - 380 million

e.g. India, Singapore

300 - 500 million

e.g. China, Russia

500 - 1000 million

The three ‘circles’ of English (Kachru, 1988: 5)


While hardly anyone would question the historical accounts and the hegemonic role of English today, controversy persists about the reasons that has brought

about this hegemony .


Crystal’s rather “naturalistic” interpretation, along with those who say the existence of many Englishes belong to no one today, is criticized by Phillipson and others who insist on the decisive role of imperialist action in language policy, particularly in the field of education in the colonies and the active spread of English via English Language Teaching (ELT, TESL) promoted by Britain and the USA in the 20th century.


English language teaching (ELT, TESL) has come to the fore in this debate on agency.


Since the 1950’s, the British government assigned a key priority to the teaching of English abroad to

1.support its foreign policy ,2.to strengthen the Commonwealth ,

3.)to promote trade relations .


At the same time, as part of development aid, the USA also began to involve an increasing number of government agencies, such as the United States Information Agency and the Agency for International Development in educational planning and ELT in the Third

World .


Although these policies were always disguised as “aid” for development, as a matter of fact, the terms of unequal exchange and dependency have increased into the 21st century alongside the growing dominance of English.


Language teaching centers have intended to control ELT, Britain’s second largest export business, favoring native speakers of English and their countries:


Most authors agree that the imperial mother-tongue countries seek to maintain control over ELT technology, a unified approach of classroom instruction, teaching materials, centralized

examinations, and research .


One of the ideas put forward is that English is best taught monolingually, with the same methodology and textbooks worldwide, preferably by native speakers and as early as possible; the teaching of other second languages obstructs the acquisition of English (Pennycook 1994, Phillipson 2003).


According to some writers, these claims have proven to be fallacies, conflicting with research findings on second language acquisition and bilingual education (Cummins 2000,

Skutnabb-Kangas 2000).


According to Robert Philipson, the power which is expressed in the English language and is then reinforced by English language teaching professionals around the world can be more exactly and scientifically identified as linguistic imperialism.

Documents

Linguicism/ Linguistic Imperialism 232 Najd. Linguicism Linguicism is a term coined by Robert Phillipson to refer to discrimination and prejudice on